By The South Asia Times

NEW YORK  – A coalition of eleven nations today issued a sweeping condemnation of the Israeli military’s recent assault on the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian humanitarian mission attempting to break the naval blockade on Gaza.

In a joint statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Office of the Spokesperson), the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Brazil, Jordan, Pakistan, Spain, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Colombia, Maldives, South Africa, and Libya described the attack as a “flagrant violation” of international law and international humanitarian law.

According to the statement, Israeli forces targeted the flotilla’s vessels in international waters and unlawfully detained dozens of humanitarian activists. The flotilla, named Sumud—the Arabic word for steadfastness—was organized to draw global attention to the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where aid agencies report widespread shortages of food, water, and medicine.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the Israeli assault on the Global Sumud Flotilla, a peaceful civilian humanitarian initiative,” the ministers wrote. “The Israeli attacks against the vessels and the unlawful detention of humanitarian activists in international waters constitute flagrant violations of international law.”

The signatories expressed deep concern for the safety of those detained and urged Israeli authorities to take immediate measures to secure their release. They also called on the broader international community to fulfill its “moral and legal obligations” to uphold international law, protect civilians, and ensure accountability for the violations.

The joint statement marks a rare, unified diplomatic front spanning four continents, reflecting growing international alarm over restrictions on maritime access to Gaza. Israeli officials have not yet issued a formal response but have historically defended the naval blockade as a necessary security measure to prevent arms smuggling to militant groups.

The United Nations and several human rights organizations have called for an independent investigation into the incident, which echoes the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla raid that resulted in multiple civilian deaths and a subsequent international legal backlash.

As of press time, the whereabouts and condition of the detained activists remain unclear. The signatory nations have requested an urgent session of the UN Security Council to address the crisis.